A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory has fixed the 30th of November to hear the suit seeking to disqualify the Governor-elect of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo.
The suit is challenging the eligibility of the former Central Bank Governor to contest the recently concluded election.
The presiding judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo fixed the date after lawyers for the plaintiffs and defendants made their final submissions.
The plaintiffs, Adindu Valentine and Egwudike Chukwuebuka are contending that Soludo gave a false information in the affidavit (Form EC9) he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The plaintiffs claimed in the suit marked FHC/ABJCS/711/2021, that Soludo indicated in the affidavit that he was contesting the Aguata 2 Constituency seat when in actual fact, he was contesting the governorship seat.
Defendants in the suit are INEC, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Soludo and the Deputy Governor-elect, Dr Onyeka Ibezim.
In their final submission, the plaintiffs’ lawyers, A O Ijeri and Kelvin Okoko argued that having indicated the wrong seat in the form, Soludo violated the extant legal provisions and should therefore be disqualified.
The lawyers added that their clients established that there was a cause of action and that the court had jurisdiction to determine the case.
They then prayed the court to find merit in the case and grant the relief sought by their clients.
Counsel for APGA and Soludo, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), argued that the suit was without merit and that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear it.
Ikpeazu stated that an error in a certificate cannot be a basis to disqualify a candidate from an election.
He argued further that the information referred to by the plaintiff was not among the grounds stated in the 1999 Constitution for the disqualification of a candidate.
Ikpeazu urged the court to uphold the preliminary objection filed by his clients and dismiss the case.
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INEC Presents Soludo with Certificate of Return (video)
Court Fixes Date For Suit Seeking to Disqualify Prof Chukwuma Soludo